My Food Bag seeks up to $342m in IPO

My Food Bag founder and shareholder Nadia Lim. Photo: Supplied via NZ Herald
My Food Bag founder and shareholder Nadia Lim. Photo: Supplied via NZ Herald
My Food Bag plans to sell up to 185 million shares in an initial public offer that values the meal kit company at just under $450m.

The company has filed its product disclosure statement and says it aims to list on the NZX and ASX on March 5.

The meal kit company's shares will be priced at $1.85 per share, implying a post initial public offering market capitalisation of $449 million.

Up to $342m will be raised under the IPO. The offer includes 155.3m existing shares (64.1 per cent of the company) and 29.6m new shares.

New funds raised will be used to repay bank debt and pay transaction costs. Existing shareholders, including funds controlled by Waterman Capital, will retain at least 23.7 per cent ownership of My Food Bag following the offer.

My Food Bag says more than 10,000 customers and team members have registered to receive a priority allocation in the IPO. Australian investors were also targeted.

Fund managers Milford Funds, Harbour Asset Management and Investment Services Group have committed to bid for holdings of at least 5 per cent of the company.

My Food Bag chairman Tony Carter said new funds raised would provide the business with flexibility to pursue its growth strategy.

"Our growth will be underpinned by continued leadership in the meal kit market and expanding our food-based offerings to align to consumer trends," Carter said.

Board member Chris Marshall, founder of Waterman Capital, said the investment company was pleased to be involved in the next chapter of the company.

"When we invested in 2016, we saw a successful business that was well positioned to continue to grow its core offering and had the potential to leverage its platform to expand more broadly within the food and grocery sector.

"The business is extremely innovative and customer centric, which is an exciting combination. In addition, the online food delivery sector is the beneficiary of some very favourable long-term macro trends."

My Food Bag says it has delivered over 85 million meals to more than 300,000 households since 2013.